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Much of the idea exchange and evaluation that are part of the creative process occur in groups. It is often presumed that groups facilitate these processes, but much research indicates that groups often hinder effective exchange of ideas and that they may not facilitate their evaluation. We summarize the factors that limit the potential of groups in these domains and use the cognitive–social–motivational model (Paulus & Brown, 2003, 2007) to highlight the conditions under which group creativity is enhanced. In particular, we focus on the conditions under which groups can actually outperform similar size sets of individuals and thus provide evidence for synergy in creative groups.

Purpose: Investors and portfolio managers can earn profitably when they correctly predict when stock prices will go up or down. For this reason, it is crucial to know the effect levels of the factors that affect stock prices. In addition to macroeconomic factors, the psychological behavior of investors also affects stock prices. Therefore, the study aims to reveal the different sensitivity levels of the stock index against macroeconomic and psychological factors.

Design/Methodology/Approach: In this study, dollar rate (USD), euro rate (EURO), time deposit interest rate (IR), gold price (GOLD), industrial production index (IPI), and consumer price index (CPI) (inflation (INF)) were used as macroeconomic factors, while Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) and VIX Fear Index (VIX) were used as psychological factors. In addition, the BIST-100 index, which is listed in Borsa Istanbul, was used as the stock index. The sensitivity of the stock index to macroeconomic and psychological factors was investigated using the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) method using data from January 2012 to October 2020.

Findings: In the analyses performed using the MARS method, the coefficients of INF, USD, EURO, IR, CCI, and VIX Index were found to be statistically significant and effective on the stock index. Among these variables, INF has the highest effect on stocks. It is followed by USD, IR, EURO, CCI, and VIX. GOLD and IPI variables did not show statistical significance in the model. The most important difference of the MARS model from other regressions is that each factor’s effect on the stock index is analyzed by separating it according to the value of the factor. According to the results obtained from the MARS model: (1) it has been determined that USD, EURO, IR, and CPI have both positive and negative effects on the stock market index and (2) CCI and VIX have been found to have negative effects on stocks. These results provide essential information about how investors who plan to invest in the stock index should take into consideration different macroeconomic and psychological values.

Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature as it is one of the first studies to examine the effects of factors affecting the stock index by decomposing it according to the values it takes. Also, this study provides additional information by listing the factors affecting the stock index in order of importance. These results will help investors, portfolio managers, company executives, and policy-makers understand the stock markets.

Applying digital literacy skills in face-to-face or online classrooms started ringing the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic in recent months. Stating the obvious, well-planned distant learning experiences are different from courses offered online in response to a crisis or disaster. Every institution around the world has worked on preserving instruction throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent to which educators being aware of their own and their students’ digital literacy skills perceived how and what kind of information and communication technologies are used under such an emergency remote teaching and learning. The preparedness level of learners in using online information and communication technologies is a naturally regulated phenomenon because they are born to live a life of technology. Yet, educators have applied experience, and practical knowledge in face-to-face classroom settings remains a mere curiosity to remote teaching. This study was conducted to investigate educators’ level of preparedness to use online information and communication technologies for their emergency remote teachings and their experiences from the field by focusing on moderating variables – asserted by Means, Bakia, and Murphy (2014) – like modality, instructor role online, online communication synchrony, source of feedback, and role of online assessments. Based on self-report scaled and open-ended questions in the same questionnaire, the participants were recruited online via convenience and accidental sampling, and the data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 22.0 and thematic analysis. Within this study, how educators experience remote teaching during the global pandemic and what they prefer to carry out for the same effectiveness of the courses are discussed based on their digital literacy skills and digital readiness.

Purpose: Due to technological developments, industrialisation, irregular urbanisation, rapid population growth, and unconscious consumption, environmental problems have been on the agenda of activists, not for profit organisations, businesses, and governments for the last 20 years. Global warming, climate change, and ozone layer depletion are among the environmental problems which are the most threatening to life on earth. What is underlying these three problems is greenhouse gases emitted into atmosphere. Carbon footprint is a measure of carbon emission. The amount of carbon footprint is closely related to consumption styles as well as production. Unconscious life styles and consumption habits of consumers increase the amount of carbon footprint produced. Together with the rise of environmental problems, the concept of sustainable consumption has become very important. In the most simple of terms, sustainable consumption means consumption without consuming natural resources and this will play an important role in reducing carbon footprint.

Aim: In this chapter, keeping in mind the context of sustainable consumption, the concept of carbon footprint is explained as well as the methods for reducing carbon footprint arising from consumption, in a bid to bring strong awareness of these issues to consumers.

Methodology: To do this a literature review was carried out and methods of reducing carbon footprint were examined and discussed.

Findings: Consumers play an important role in reducing the amount of carbon footprint arising from individual consumption.

Originality of the Study: Most studies are carried out on the carbon footprint resulting from businesses and on carbon footprint calculation and determination of carbon footprint of products. Therefore, this study is specific in that it focusses on the carbon footprint of consumers.

Implications: Studies show that one of the important factors increasing carbon footprint is the unconscious acts of consumers relating to the environment. As long as this unconscious consumption model continues, the amount of carbon footprint will also increase. Hence, consumers need to know which activities reduce the amount of carbon footprint.

Adapting to external and internal transformations is a difficult task that managers and scholars must face while attempting to keep their organisations alive and well-established. This chapter explores the various decision-making tools that can assist practitioners and scholars to improve their understanding of the external scenario to determine the contemporary appropriateness of these approaches for analysing the environment and their implications for various types of organisations. The chapter investigates the barriers and drivers of these methods and proposes existing alternative paradigms created by academics and practitioners to analyse and comprehend the context. It demonstrates how these decision-making tools can be implemented by providing examples and case studies.

Together with the globalization, the markets throughout the world entered into an intense competition and it led the companies in capital markets into a panic. During the competition for being at the top, the companies may sometimes have recourse to various frauds, corruption, or manipulations. The advancing technology is the most useful instrument of companies for this purpose. Countering these frauds and corruptions, which are gradually becoming more complex, is the profession of “auditing” which entered into an institutionalization and professionalization process. One of the most important milestones in this process is the emergence of the forensic accounting profession. The forensic accounting services, especially in the USA and Canada, provide courts and lawyers with support by making use of accounting, auditing, and analytical investigations on legal issues involving financial disputes. The forensic accountants offer service to relevant persons and institutions in order to determine the frauds made by the companies and support the lawsuits.

The objective of the present study is to provide information about the forensic accounting profession and its development in the world, as well as contributing to the development and recognition of forensic accounting practices.

Government accounting shows the assets and resources of the government, the changes that occur in them, to provide the necessary information to evaluate the effectiveness of the government in revenue and expense management, and to produce the information required by economic management. In this context, the past, present, and future of the Turkish government accounting system discussed in the theoretical framework in the study.

Many companies produce environmentally friendly goods and offer their products with varied attractive marketing mix strategies. One of the company's potential target markets is millennials because the growing number of this community has become enormous. In terms of behavior, millennials have a high level of consumption compared to other generations. However, there are big questions about the willingness of millennials to consume green products. This study aims to acknowledge the green product buying behavior among millennials, especially premium green products. The variables expected to influence the millennial's willingness to pay premium include environmental concern, reference group, and pro-environmental attitude. Data collected through a survey of 250 respondents. The hypothesis framework was tested using PLS-SEM modeling to evaluate the measurement and structural models with the assistance of Warp PLS version 7.0. This study found that millennials who consider the importance of preserving the environment and have a reference group that solicitude to the environment will have a pro-environmental attitude and willing to buy the green product, even though it has a higher price. Green product's management can use the result to formulate an effective green marketing strategy to target the millennials. Regarding the need for millennials' environmental behavior clearer picture in a developing economy, the present study inflicts the literature by describing the antecedents of millennials' willingness to pay premium green products. The results also give practical implications by shedding light on millennials’ green behavior variables. It helps green entrepreneurs conceive their strategic marketing management, and thus can boost the green economy and economic growth.

The profession of judicial advisory is a profession with a larger scope, which creates solutions for legal problems by harmoniously blending principles, theories, and standards that relate to many areas of expertise such as accounting, auditing, and law. The legists need expert information on the matters of accounting, finance, and taxation regarding the files that they handle. In such cases, experts who perform the profession of judicial advisory provide their consultancy services to the legists before and during the cases.

The purpose of this study is to create awareness regarding the profession of judicial advisory and put forward the prospects of this profession in Turkey. The study includes four provinces located in the Eastern Black Sea Region (Trabzon, Rize, Ordu, and Giresun). There are a total of 1,339 lawyers who are registered to the bar associations of the indicated provinces; out of them, 600 lawyers have been communicated, but a questionnaire was conducted on 354 lawyers by employing face-to-face interviews. The data obtained from the questionnaires have been subjected to difference in means (unpaired t-test) and descriptive statistical analyses by using the statistical packet software of SPSS 10.0.

In the consequence of the conducted analyses, it has been determined that the lawyers thought that the members of the profession of accounting working as experts were inadequate. In the event of establishing judicial advisory institution besides the institution of expertise, it is believed that a more beneficial system would be created. It is seen that this thought has not changed among the lawyers in terms of different characteristics except level of education. Additionally, it has been determined that the level of awareness of the lawyers regarding the profession of judicial advisory was insufficient.